Engine rocker arm



Patented Oct. 5, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENGINE ROCKER ARMJames M. Leake, Monroe, Mich.

Application February 19, 1945, Serial No. 578,657

2 Claims.

My invention relates to engine rocker arms and more particularly to thetype of rocker arm used to operate the valves of an internal Combustionengine.

My former stamped rocker arms, disclosed in Patents Nos. 2,176,083,2,338,726 and 2,345,822 provide many advantages over the old style ofcast and forged engine rocker arm which were of solid cross sectionalconstruction.

My improved engine rocker arm combines the advantages of the old stylecast and forged rocker arms with the advantages of my former pressedsheet metal engine rocker arms.

One object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm that islight in weight.

Another object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm with ahollow cross-sectional construction formed from sheet material.

Another object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm thatprovides adequate lubrication control.

Another object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm thatcan be provided with walls of varying thickness.

Another object of my invention is to provide an engine rocker arm thatis strong, durable and inexpensive.

With these and other objects in View, my invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangements of the various parts of myimproved device as described in the specification, claimed in the claimsand illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my improved type engine rocker arm.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of my improved type engine rocker arm shownin Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of my improved engine rocker arm shown in Figs.1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view of my improved engine rocker arm.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the fixed contact bearing used in myimproved engine rocker arm.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the contact bearing shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a side view of the reinforcing members used in my improvedengine rocker arm.

Fig. 10 is an end view of the reinforcing member shown in Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, in

Fig. 1 I have shown a stamped 0r pressed arm member lil. This arm memberIn is pressed from a fiat sheet metal blank which has been cut to apredetermined size and shape. The arm member l0 comprises substantiallyparallel side walls il-H spaced a substantial distance apart, and anupper wall l2 integral with the side walls I I- ll, thus producing aninverted U-shaped cross section as shown in Fig. 6. The side walls I l-lI are joined by end wall portions which are integral with the side wallslI--Il and the upper wall !2. Thus a continuous wall is provided aroundthe sides and ends of the arm member Ill.

The walls of one end of my improved engine rocker arm are formed into apartial hexagonal hollow prism portion is which is adapted to receive ahexagonal nut 14. The hexagonal nut I4 is adapted to receive the stem l5of the adjustable contacting bearing IS. The lock nut ll locks theadjustable contacting bearing IS in a predetermined position.

A fixed contacting bearing I8 is located in the other end of the rockerarm member Ill. The fixed contacting bearing l8 comprises a stem portion19 and an upset head portion 20 which is integral with the stem portion[9, The stem portion I9 is secured between the walls II and the end wallas shown in Fig. 2.

The nut l4 and stem 19 of the fixed contacting bearing are preferablybrazed in position although they may be secured by spot welding,projection welding or any other suitable process. The face 2| of thefixed contacting bearing is provided with a smooth curved surface whichis hardened to withstand wear.

Holes are provided in the side walls llll of the arm member l0. Theseholes are directly opposite each other and are adapted to receive a hubmember 22. The hub member 22 may be cut from seamless tubing or it maybe formed from a sheet metal blank. The hub is pressed into the armmember ID and is then preferably brazed in position. A bushing orbearing member 23 is pressed in the hub 22. When the engine rocker armis installed on an internal combustion engine, the engine rocker shaft(not shown) fits in the bushing 23. An oil tube 24 extends from thebushing 23 to the top surface of the rocker arm as shown in Fig. 5. Thepassageway 25 in the tube 24 communicates with the oil passageway 26 inthe bushing 23, thus providing a sealed oil passageway from the rockerarm shaft to the top of the engine rocker arm. Oil under pressure from asuitable source of supply is fed from an oil passageway in the rockerarm shaft (not shown) to oil passageways 26 and 26 to the top surface 21of the rocker arm. Oil metering surfaces 28-28 adjacent the top surface21 control the flow of oil to each end of the engine rocker arm. Oilflowing off of the sides of the metering surfaces 2828 flows down thesides of the rocker arm, drops into a reservoir and then is returned tothe supply source. Oil flowing over the metering surfaces 28-28 flows tothe ends of the rocker arm then down the sides-and ends" of the. rockerarm and ultimately reaches the adjustable and fixed contacting bearings16 and It. The flow of oil to these points is controlled by varying thelength width ratio of the oil meteringrsurfaces" 28-28. The oil flow toeach end of the arm member can be controlled independently because oneof the oil metering surfacesu28 controls the: flow of oil to one end,while the other oil metering surface 28 controls the flow of oil to theother end of the engine rocker arm.

AnLaperture ZQ provides ansopening for the stemi=5 of the adjustablecontacting bearing to pass through: the arm member;

Reinforcing? members 30 arersecured adjacent the sidewalls l-ll lbetween the hub 22 and the nut MA The reinforcingmembers 30 are providedwith. a recess 3| to provide a means for hol'ding' thereinforcingxmemberszin place during assemblyz After the nut M is placedin the hollow prism portion 13, T the reinforcing plates 30440 areplacedin position; The hub 22 is thenpressed in position. The hub 22fits into the recess-3| holding: the reinforcing members 30 in place-.-

The reinforcing :members are. then brazed'in positionz=-All of thebrazing is'preferablydone at one time, that is, the nut M, the hub 22,the fixed contacting bearing 8 and the reinforcing members 30'-30 areall brac'ed'in position. in a brazing fm'nace at the same time.-

After the brazing is completed, the bushing 23 and-thecontactinglbearingl" l6 are securedin position.

The reinforcing members- 30-30 are sym metrical-so that if the membersare coated on one sidewith a brazing material, the same member or piececan be used on either-side.

It Will readily be noted-"that my improved engine rocker arm has aninverted U-shaped cross section at any point. It is closed on top sothat dirt: cannot collect in the arm member; The upper Wall alsoprovides an oil metering surface; Rigidity-is provided for theside-wallswhen the hubis brazed to the side walls. The "reinforcingmembers provide added strength at the Weaker contacting bearing in myimproved ty-pe'of engine rocker arm also tendsto keep it in position.

My improved engine rocker arm provides all of the advantages of therocker arms disclosed in Patents Nos. 2,176,083, 2,338,726 and 2,345,822plus the advantages described above.

While I have described the details of one form of my invention, I do notwish to be limited to the particular form shown and described as it willbe apparent that many modifications therein may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention as set forth in theTappended'claims.

Having -thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An engine rocker arm comprising a sheet metal arm member, said armmember comprising spaced side walls, a partial cylindrical wall portionat one end of said arm member, a hollow partial prism wall portion atthe other end of said arm member and an upper wall integral with saidside. walls, said partial cylindrical wall portion and said hollowpartial prism wall portion at the upper edges thereof; a hubintermediate the ends of said arm member; a fixed contactingbearing-secured in said partial cylindrical wall portion; an internallythreaded member secured in said partial prism wall portion; anadjustable contacting. bearing provided with a threaded stem-portionadjustably secured in said internally threaded-member, said internallythreaded member secured in said partial prism portion intermediate: saidupper wall and said adjustable contacting bearing; and a hollow memberextending from said hub to an aperture in said upper wall. 2. An enginerockerarm comprising a, sheet metal arm member, said arm membercomprising spaced side walls, a partial cylindricalwall portion at one.end of said arm member, a hollow partial prismyvall portion at theotherend of said armmember and an upper wall integral with said side walls,said partial cylindrical wall portion .andsaid hollow partial prism wallportion at the upper edges thereof; a hub intermediate the ends of saidarm member; a fixed contacting bearing secured in said partialcylindrical wall portion; an internally threaded member secured insaid-partial. prism wall portion; an adjustable contacting bearingprovided with a threaded stem portion adjustably secured in saidinternally threaded member, said internally threadedrmembersecuredinsaid partial prism portion intermediate said upper Wall andsaid-adjustable contactingibearing; a hollow member extending from saidhub. to an aperture in said upper wall; and a narrowed surface portionin said upper wall.

JAMES M. LEAKE'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are'of record in the filetoft-hisi'patentst UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,872,982.-- LaBrie Aug. 23, 1932 2,176,083 Leake Oct. 17,193!) 2,288,831 OHarrow July7, 1942 2,345,822 Leake Apr..'4, 1944

